The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-04-30

Mrs. Boyle's pale face had grown graver
by some few degrees.
| HThey are bonds, but what of do not
know. know so little of the look of
these things" she unused. sWhose are
they? Whose?"
"Perhaps ours, mother" And Maud
poked her hand consolingly within her
mothers arm.
sThat chest of drawers belongs to the
days of our glory. Therel Did not say
last night, when Harry's letter came, that
goT-z-. T--.Ilis & were coming again?"
/ Perhaps they are" And Mrs. Boyle |
gave little convulsive hug to Maud's
comforting hand. "WelI hasten dinner,
girls, and one of you shall go with me to
John Bryant's He, at least, will say
whether the things are of value or moi"
"Youll not give them up to him, moth
er? Give up my ind?"
"Maud, do not act the infant" Kate
cried. "Go with mother, and learn what
has to be learned"
1t was as Kate had supposed The four
papers together represented the sum of
$4,000, and were Italian Government
bonds.
But whose were they? They bore no
mans name.
CHAPTER III.
The treasure had to lie in John Bryant's
strong room.
John Bryant was stock broker, as Mr..
Boyle had been, -and was, in truth, man
whose friendship to the Boyles had lasted
on from the old days of their prosperity.
He was an upright man, aud he guarded I
the interests of the Boyles as well as if they
were his own.
He locked the strange Italian bonds,
which were Mauds ''6nds," in his strong
room. There they must lie while inquiries
were made as to their ownership.
"They are yours, Miss Maud, until some
one can prove a better claim" he said, as
he shook hands at the door of his outer
Office. 81 hope no one will claim them,"
and, with kindly pomposity he owned,
he made little flourish in the air with one
hand. Snow should like to speculate a
little with it for you-double it--treble
| it"
"Or-lose it?"
"That is cruel. No; speculation should
never meddle with it. l was only talking
empty nonsense"
Speculate for my governessing. Mr..
Bryant" the girl said as the three stood
on the landing of the staircase outside.
"That would be real kindness, now"
Yes, will" Here gravity and purpose
came and settled on John Bryant's face, to
the exclusion of any such things as merri-
ment or the excitementof of speculation. II
will, he said again.
Then the two ladies went away, and tho
man went back to his Office to puzzle his
head over Mauds governessing. In his
masculine mind-oue step behind the pres
ent age of woman's independence-he saw
an unitness in the child of his old friend
going out to earn her bred among strangers.
Maud, a stranger went tostrangers; new
claims came upon her days; wider, new
life came circling about her; time each week
seemed to her to be growing more full,
more rich; in while she grew to look upon
herself in the New-Cro life as dim pos
sibility, so surely was she absorbing all the
influences of the pleasant, kindly, luxuri-
GUS home where she taught two young
girls.
The bonds still lay unowned by dint of
wisely framed advertisements claimants
came forward whose pretensions woald not |
bear the sitting of lawyers questions.
The bonds were still Maud's, as John
Bryant would have it, though year had
run by since the Summer day when she
had found them.
Maud's gay prophecy of good fortune
coming to them was gradually being full
filed. Harry had really sent over good I
round sum to his mother; Davy got a rise
in his Office; cousin of Mr.. Boyle's came
to live with them at New Cross, and brought
a good addition to the family purse. Times
were no longer "hard times"
Search was made for Mr.. Harbutt's
nephew, whom the old gentleman, they
now remembered, had never spoken of by
any other name than that of Lewis"
Now, was 'Lewis' Christian name or a
surname?
As pointed as could be done advertise
ments went the round of the country con-
cerning "unclaimed stock" The Boyles
did, and always would, insist upon the be-
lief that the Italian bonds belonged to Mr.
Harbutt
"Have an advertisement giving his
name, said Maud, in letter home.
"Miss Maud is losing her business head"
was John Bryants answer when they told
him what she had said.
'The things are nightmare to mel"
Mrs. Boyle said.
"Then, my good lady, we will have the
advertisement printed at once Shall the
first Harbutt who comes ave them?'
Her adviser was bit testy.
1t was September evening, and the
scene was luxurious drawing room in |
Yorkshire country house. 1t was the
house in which Maud Boyle was governess.
Work was over for the day, and she, with
Cicely and Nan Simpson, was as usual
passing the evening with the rest of the
family. The two girls were fourteen and
fifteen years of age; they were ''the chill
dren'' of the household. A stepbrother,
young Lewis Simpson, was a man of twen-
ty-fve; he, too, was in the room. The
mother was there, also the grandmother,
the mother Of the present Mr.. Simpson.
Across the Yorkshire moors "a 5eptem- |
Der wind had been blowing all day, and
winter-like fire burned in the wide CRATE.
But it was evening, and the three girls
wore pretty light garments Thetwo Simp-
sons were in white Maud, though the
material Of her gown was no more than
muslin, was sombre-looking its color was
Of the darkest crimson, and, seeing no lamps
were lit, the Pickering CLEAN of freight
I - l.. L
being brownhued maiden herself.
The bell had just been rung, and as the
lamps were brought in there also came the
big brother, tall man and very fair, as his
father and Cicely were He lounged in as
young men do lounge in among home
company of womenkind. He threw him
self on seat by Mrs. Simpson, and he threw
one newspaper across to the old lady whom
he called aGranny," but who, Of course,
| was no grandmother to him.